1. Field of Use
These teachings relate generally to a system for fitting studs to the shoes of hoofed animals, in particular for the fitting and removal of studs in the shoes of horses and ponies.
2. Description of Prior Art (Background)
Horses wear a certain number of studs on each horse shoe for competitions on different surfaces. Generally, the studs must be installed on the grass and removed before the horse leaves the grass area. Currently, the studs must be screwed into a horseshoe with a wrench, and three to four full rotations are required to install or remove the stud. This has to be done while holding a horse's foot in an upright position, a difficult task that must occur in an often hectic environment where the horse is uncomfortable and excited. In addition, several tools are necessary for preparing the holes for stud installation and the most commonly used tool for actually screwing in the studs is an adjustable mechanics wrench. The studs are usually stored loosely in box containers and are not easily accessible while holding the horse's foot off the ground, cleaning the stud holes, selecting the stud and screwing it in while reaching for and using several different tools which are generally stored separately. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a stud system designed for easy and quick stud insertion and removal.